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Electric Lemonade

Electric lemonade takes the classic refreshment and cranks up the flavor dial with a surprising twist of tartness and a spark of sweetness that makes your taste buds sit up and pay attention. This recipe delivers a drink that's bold enough to serve at parties yet simple enough to whip up on any lazy afternoon.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Drinks and Beverages
Cuisine: American
Calories: 65
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice about 4 to 5 medium lemons
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 cups cold or room temperature water
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice about 1 small lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon citric acid powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • Ice for serving
  • Lemon slices for garnish optional

Equipment

  • Large pitcher or mixing bowl
  • Citrus juicer or hand-squeeze method
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Long spoon or stirrer for mixing
  • Glasses for serving
  • Fine-mesh strainer (optional)

Method
 

  1. Roll each lemon firmly on the counter with your palm to break down the interior cells and release more juice. Cut the lemons in half and use a citrus juicer to extract every drop, pressing firmly until you have one cup of fresh juice.
  2. Pour your fresh lemon juice through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup to remove seeds and large pulp pieces. This step ensures your lemonade has a smooth texture rather than gritty bits, though you can skip it if you prefer pulp in your drink.
  3. Cut your lime in half and juice it using the same method as your lemons, yielding about two tablespoons of juice.
  4. Pour your strained lemon juice, lime juice, and three cups of cold water into a large pitcher. Give it a quick stir to combine and ensure the liquids are evenly mixed before adding the dry ingredients.
  5. Sprinkle the granulated sugar and citric acid powder directly into the pitcher.
  6. Sprinkle the sea salt into the mixture, which acts as a flavor amplifier and brings out the citrus notes.
  7. Use a long spoon or stirrer to mix the pitcher contents for at least one minute, stirring in circular motions to dissolve all the sugar and citric acid completely. Make sure you stir around the bottom corners where sugar tends to settle rather than distribute evenly.
  8. Take a small sip and assess the flavor profile, looking for a balance between sweetness and tartness that appeals to your palate. Add a splash more lemon juice if you want more pucker, or a tablespoon more sugar if it tastes too sharp.
  9. Fill glasses with ice and pour the electric lemonade, leaving a little room for lemon slice garnish if desired. The drink is best served immediately while it's ice-cold and the flavors are bright and punchy.

Notes

Make a batch of electric lemonade without ice and store it in your fridge for up to three days, then add ice when serving so the drink doesn't become diluted over time. Fresh lemons always beat bottled juice in terms of flavor brightness. The citric acid powder is the secret ingredient that makes this electric lemonade truly electric.